[Milton_Earnest]

E'ening all,

I've been looking for some horse manure to put on our allotment over winter, and I have been lucky enough to find a number of options ranging from fresh, yr old, two yr old and 15 yr old (there's a lot of horses round our way)

In general, is older better? And therefore get as much of the 15yr old manure as possible?

I'm looking to use it in raised beds over winter, with a cardboard 'floor' on top of the weeds, and the manure on top so we can turn in next spring and then use for growing veg

Any thoughts / advice greatly appreciated

[mumofstig]

As long as it's not fresh, it will be good stuff.... Make sure that the farmer hasn't used any herbicides on the grazing, as this could ruin your crops for several years 
http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/profile.aspx?pid=477

[Trillium]

The 15 yr old manure is certainly safe to use, provided it didn't have any of the dangerous chemicals added to the hay the horses consumed, but by that age it will have lost some of it's oomph. However, it will still be great soil conditioner so add lots.

[gavinjconway]

Yup I was going to say that it may have lost it's power but would still condition as Trillium says... I'd be inclined to use the 2 yr old and it will be more beneficial than the older stuff..

[Milton_Earnest]

Thanks all for your advice, much appreciated - its great to know there is a way of obtaining sound advice about these things